Cottage+Camp: Americana From Its New Home, To Yours

By Lisa Green

Cottage+Camp has been one peripatetic purveyor of folk art, Americana and 19th- and 20th-century decorative arts and textiles. The owners, John Krynick and Francis Nestor, have been in the business since 1989, selling on the antiques circuit while living in Boston. Through the years, they have moved their collection to Woodstock, Hudson, Philadelphia and North Egremont, Mass.

Some of their businesses have been strictly through shows or online, and others were actual storefronts. Just last week Cottage + Camp again became a brick-and-mortar concern with the opening of its new shop in Millerton, New York. Now those of us who have been drooling over the goods on their Instagram feed have a place to get up close and touchy-feely with the curiously compelling, sometimes quirky remains of American art and objets.

Until now, the duo has been selling out of their home in North Egremont — a Carpenter Gothic former church.

“We found this church and thought it would be a great place to live and have our studios,” says Krynick, a textile artist whose specialty is knitting (but not scarves and vests; think giant hand- and machine-knitted installations). Nestor is a painter. “We opened by appointment but we realized it didn’t seem like a destination.”

They love living in the church, but considered moving the business to Millerton. The spots they looked at weren’t quite right, until the corner of Center and Main opened up in April. They got calls from other shop owners: “You have to take this space.” Krynick and Nestor were encouraged by the retailers’ open arms and relocated in the antiques-centric village. They announced their opening on Instagram, and had a great day. Somehow they managed the renovation and move in between preparing for, working at and returning from Brimfield, which they attend every year (you’ll find them at the New England Motel).

The scope of Americana plus decorative arts is wide ranging. “We’re not gallery precious,” says Krynick. “It’s all stuff we really like.” Recent finds include a c.1860 carved and painted jelly cupboard and mid-19th-century printing blocks for labeling fabric.

Though they’re back in shopkeeping, the duo still plans to travel to a couple of small shows a year along with Brimfield. Next up is one featuring antiques, jewelry, decorations, lighting, garden, prints and paintings at The Marketplace at River Walk Pavilion in Washington Depot from June 1-3.

The day I visited, Krynick and Nestor were expecting an after-lunch flow of visitors from the rainy Trade Secrets show.

“We put out a bunch of garden-related things a few days ago for our Trade Secrets customers,” says Krynick, “but everything already sold.”

Looks like Cottage+Camp has made the right move.

Cottage+Camp
20 Main St., Millerton, NY